As the National Museum of the Air Force puts it:
“This was one of the original YRF-4C prototypes that was converted into the YF-4E. The YF-4E was used in the development of the F-4E fighter as well as in fly-by-wire Precision Aircraft Control Technology (PACT) and Control Configured Vehicle (CCV) test programs. Three conversions.
A "Fly-by-Wire" control system was installed in Number 266, and a distinctive color scheme was applied to the airplane for this flight test program, which commenced on 29 April 1972.
The museum's airframe served as a prototype for the RF-4C reconnaissance version and later the F-4E fighter-bomber variant. It also was the test bed for such advanced ideas as F-4 leading edge slats and the "Fly-By-Wire" concept (electrical rather than mechanical interconnections between pilot and control surfaces). A final modification added distinctive wing-like canard surfaces to examine the Precision Aircraft Control Technology configuration for mission and performance improvements.”
Another nice history is here
2 comments:
Ron,
These photos of this unique Phantom are just AWESOME!
Daniel
This has been the plane I said I'd model in the late 70's ...several failed attempts, with one that flew about 150 feet, then it only had an 11 inch ws ...it's bigger brothers have met with strange fates ... like motors blowing up, control surface failures and large heavy objects laid upon them during a move ... currently I am reworking an F-4D into an RF-4, then yrf-4e ... well that's the was the original was built ... lol
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